Six of the best action cameras

Up a mountain, on a bike or even under water, a new breed of small but tough
video cameras let you be the star of your own action movie

Video cameras as we once knew them no longer exist. For most people a smartphone is more than capable of shooting decent quality video of kids’ birthdays and holidays, or for those dreary six-second selfies teenagers like to upload to Vine. But while the tourist-style camcorder may have bitten the dust, a new breed has emerged, aimed at sporty, active users who want to film themselves in action - snowboarding, surfing, climbing, bungee-jumping or even commuting to work. (More and more cyclists are equipping themselves with helmet or handlebar mounted cameras as an added insurance policy to capture the misdemeanours of other road users.) These compact, rugged POV “action cams” can do things and go places fragile smartphones fear to tread, and for their size can capture quality footage that just a few years ago would have required an extra rucksack. But which one to choose? Here’s our pick of the current crop.

GoPro Hero3+ Black Edition

GoPro’s latest incarnation maintains its place as the super-tough high-performance action cam against which all others are judged - it’s the Wladimir Klitschko of sports cameras. Nigh on indestructible, the GoPro captures professional-standard footage, making it the choice of serious filmmakers. There’s in-built WiFi, razor-sharp visuals, decent sound and it comes with more options and accessories than Batman’s utility belt. This upgraded version is 20% smaller than last year's model, with 30% better battery life. £359, gopro.com

Sony HDR AS15

Sony’s first action camera arrived this year, and comes with in-built WiFi, allowing you to share footage instantly, and excellent SteadyShot image stabilisation, as well as solid waterproof housing for those Jacques Cousteau moments (it boasts a 60m underwater range). It can be controlled easily with Sony’s smartphone app, and there are five shooting modes, including HD Super Slow, which shoots 120 frames a second for when you want to relive those dramatic moments at a more leisurely pace. £259, sony.co.uk

Polaroid XS7

Though still a name that conjures up obsolete photographic technology, Polaroid produces a great range of affordable and eye-catching sports cameras, which are more than adequate for most people’s requirements. For precisely 60 quid you get 720p HD video and an easy-to-use two-inch touchscreen, allowing you to see your results instantly. Battery life isn’t great and there are more solidly-built cameras out there, but for the novice this model is ideal. £60, polaroid.co.uk

Contour Roam 2

The bullet shaped Roam 2 helmet cam might lack some of the features of its rivals but it’s a good mid-market choice for not-so-serious users. Image quality is excellent, especially in high quality 1080p mode (although audio is rather feeble). It is arguably the easiest of all action cameras to use - just slide the Instant On-Record switch and you’re good to go. Battery life is good for the price, and it’s waterproof without the need for an additional bulky case. Unlike some other manufacturers, Contour endeavours to make its cameras look good too. £169, contour.com

Drift HD Ghost

While unlikely to win any prizes for beauty Drift produces a solid range of practical POV cameras. Its latest, the HD Ghost, comes with plenty of bells and whistles - a wireless remote, various mounting options, an excellent LCD screen, jack for an external mic (sound quality being the Achilles heel of all action cams), loads of shooting options and on-board WiFi. It feels reassuringly tough too. Visuals are superb. £249, driftinnovation.com

Liquid Image Ego

Liquid Image is best known for its video-game-style camera goggles but its more traditional mountable POV cameras are well worth investigating too. In the looks department alone, the miniature Ego comes out on top in our test but it’s also a good little camera. For the price image quality is great. It is also WiFi enabled and can be controlled by a downloadable Action Connect smartphone app. Fixing options are limited and there are many more rugged options on the market (avoid giving it a good dunking) but the Ego will suit most people just fine. £149, liquidimageco.com